Irish wooden roots tankard, 19th century

Height x diameter: 24 x 17 cm. Weight: 1730 g.

Made of wood, shaped like a tree root. This type of tankard was handcrafted, carved directly from knotted sections of roots or stumps, which were chosen for their irregular shapes. It belongs to the tradition of so-called "treen"—small domestic wooden objects, turned or hand-carved, typically of folk origin. In Ireland, root carving also held symbolic meaning: it was believed that the root retained the tree’s vital force. The knots and imperfections in the wood were left visible and even enhanced, to emphasize the piece’s organic and natural origin.